Strapping jack and punch



Dec. 20, 1932.` E, J, KETCHAM l 1,891,767

STHAPPING JACK AND PUNCH `Fi1ed March 28, 1929 l:a lShams-Sheet. l

"n/@OM Dec. 20, 1932. A E, J. KETCHAM 1,891,767

STRAPPING JACK AND P UNGH Filed March 28. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f2777//l/l A NVENTOR A ATTORNEY Patented Dc: 20, i932 UNITED vs'rarss PATENT *ori-ICE ERNEST I. KETCIIAII, or SEATTLE, wasHINa'iioN, AssrcsflvoaTo- ACME STEEL COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A ConroRATIoN E ILLINOIS sTnAIPING JACK ANDl PUNCH Application filed March 28, 1929.' Seriall No. 350,486.4

e. My invention relates to improvements in 'strapping machines and to improvements in the method of fastening together two overlapping portions of a metal strap and the object of my invention is to devise a simple and efficient method of, and machine for, fastening together two overlapping portions of a sheet metal strap vwithout the use of clips or clamps or rivets or any fastening devices of this nature.

Another object is to provide a machine of simple and efcient construction which may be used for putting tension on a metal strap lto draw the same tightly around a box or package, and for securing together the two 5 Other and more specic objects of the invention will be apparent fromv the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plar view of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 isa side elevation ofthe same showing a fragment of; a box and a metal strap which isbeing applied to-said box.

5 lfFig. 3 is a sectional view substantially on -broken line 3 3 of Fig. 1 showing the operation of the jack l mechanism, parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a' sectional view substantially on broken line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of a movable die block.

Fig. 6 is a detached fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale showing the overlapped ends of a metal strap which are `secured together in accordance with my -invention.

Fig. 7 is a cross section ona still larger scale of said two overlapped ends taken sub- 0 stantially onlbroken line 7-7 of Fig. 6, and

showing by broken lines the outline of one of the punches. i

Fig. 8 is a perspective view, with parts in section showing aslightly modified method of. clinching the two overlapped ends together.

Fig. 9 is a detached front elevationr with parts removed showing an alternative means for punching the straps and clinching the punched portions at the same operation, the

die block being shown in a raised position and the anvil or clinching member being shown in a lowered position.

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary sectional view on aiarger scale of said alternative means, the d 1e block being shown in the lowered position and the anvil member being shown in the raised position.

In preparing boxed apples and other fruit i j for export it is required that theboxes be strapped to prevent them from being broken open 1n handling. This strapping is done iwith flat straps of sheet, metal which are drawn tightly around the boxes and have their two overlapping ends fastened together. These straps must be Hat and o f substantial -width to avoid cutting the boxes and injuring the fruit, it being impractical to use wire for this purpose. The present methodof strappin fruit boxes is to draw the strap around t e box and then clamp aclip onto the two overlapping ends to secure them together. This method necessitates the provision of clips separate from the strap, which clips must be handled separately and which require a separate tool for clamping the same onto the two overlapped/TL ends of the strap.A

The separate clips involve considerable ex-4 pense when large numbers of the same are used and the use of two different tools in the strapping operation consumes a considerable amount of time, thus increasing. the labor costi .f

In accordance with my invention, the clips are entirelydispensed with and a single -tool is made to perform both the tensioning and the fastening operation.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference numerals designate like parts, I show a tool embodying a base 10,

preferably inthe nature of a flat plate arranged to rest uponI a box 11 or other package which is to be strapped. j Fixedly mounted on the top of the base plate is a frame casting designated gen.- erall by the numeral 12. The frame casting ords a longitudinal guideway foi` slidably receiving the longer arm 13 of an L shaped tensioning member. This tensioning member is provided at its rear end rwith a shorter arm v14 which extends sidewise and upon which is a fixedly mounted bracket 15 within which a clamping pawl 16 is slidably movable. VAnother bracket 17 is rigidly segripping position.l Positioning has its forward end pivotally mounted be? cured to the base 10 toward the forward end of the machine and is provided with a similar,

slidallilyv movable, clamping pawl 18. Spri gs 19 urge the pawls 16 and 18 upwardly into released position, and cams 20, mounted on pivots 21 and rigid with levers 22 enage with the top ends of the pawls 16 and 18 lates 23, rlgidly connected with the outer ges of the pawls 16 and 18 overhang the onte edges of or moving said pawls downwdly into said pawls and project below the ends of said pawls and serve to compel the endsof the strap to be pushed inwardly and properly positioned so they will overlap correctly before the pawls are forced down into gripping engagement with the strap ends. The lower ends of the pawls 16 and 18 are knurled to cause them to rip more securely, and the base portions o the brackets-15 and 17 with which the pawls cooperate may also be knurled.

The longer arm 13 of the tensioning member has spaced apart, fixed lugs 24 provided thereon toward its forward end which extend upwardly. through a longitudinal slot 25'in the frame 12, the slot 25 being long enough to allow the required movement of the tensioning member. Another relatively fixed lug 26 is provided on the frame 12 toward the rear end of the machine. A tensioning lever 27 tween the lugs 24 bymeans of a pivot bolt28. The rear end of said lever is curved upward- -ly,'as shown, to -clear the lug 26 and to afford a convenient shape for hand operation. Two

. links 29 disposed on opposite sides of the lug 26 and the lever 27 and connected with the lug 26 by a pivot bolt 3 0 and with the lever 27 by a pivot .bolt 31, complete the tensioning mechanism. The links 29 and that portion of the lever 27 which lies between the pivot 31 and thepivot 28 constitute a toggle mecha- `shows the position which the centerof the link 29 may occupy when fully raised. When the tensioning lever 27 is -lowered the parts forming the toggle links will be straightened out and thetensioning member 13 will be moved back into the position shown in Figs. 1,

2 and 3-.` This toggle link movement gives greater. speed and a lower ratio of power in the early stages of the tensioning stroke and less speed and greater power toward the end of the stroke thus flmctionig in a manner best suited to the operation of the device. If the tensioning lever is completely lowered the center of the pivot 31 will pass below the fcommon plane of the pivots 28 and 30 thus Lmaking the `device automatically sel lock- I1n of the frame 12 thus forming an adjustable stop. Y

The mechanism for securing the two over-` lapping ends of a strap together b a punch-- ing and clinching process inclu es an upright guide frame 33 formed on one side of the frame member 12. This guide frame 33 is so shaped as to form an upright rectangular opening 34 for the reception of a die block 35. A plate 36 is secured onto the front side vent displacement of the die block. Rack teeth 38 are provided on one side of the die b lock 35 near its upper end fcr engagement with a pinion 40 on a short shaft 41 to which is secured a clinching lever 42. The shaft 41 is journaled in the frame part 33 and plate 36. Manifestly, oscillation of the lever/42 will raise and lower the die block 35..

The die block 35 is provided with vertical grooves 43 for the reception of punch members 44. A stop for the upper ends of the punch members is formed by cutting a horizontal groove across the die block 35 intersecting the grooves 43 and inserting a metal plate 45 in said horizontal groove. The outer edges of the, punch members 44 are slightly more than fiush with the side of the die block andsaid punch members are securedin place by a plate 46 held by a tap screw 47. This makes the punch members quickly and easily removable for the purpose of replacement if they become worn or broken or for the purpose of substitution of punch-members of different size. A die plate 48 is mounted on the base 10 of the machine directly below the die block 35 and is cut away or slotted as at 50 to afford clearance for the punch members 44. Holes 51 are provided in the base 10 directly below the slots 50. A stripper plate 52 is provided on the bottom of the guide frame 33 and spaced above the die plate 48, and holes 53 are provided in this stripper plate for the punch members to project 'of the frame part 33, as by screws 37, to prethrough. The stripper plate' 52 is preferably shaped as shown in Fig. 4 and forms a backing against which thev edges of a strap 54 eline beyond and above the surfaces 58'. The' punches are preferably positioned with the cutting edge 57 extending lengthwise of the strap. When the punches are brought down onto the metal lstraps 54 which rest on the die plate 48 the metal is first parted or sheared by the edges 57 and further movement of the punches causes the metal of both strap ends to be cut and rolled back the metal 61 of the upper strap being pushed down through the holes in the lower strap and being curled outwardly by the inclined surfaces 58 and 60 of the punches so that it automatically clinches and prevents the two strap ends from being separated. The v Strainto which these straps are subjected isV almost entirely-tension and the portions 61 of the upper strap endwhich are punched down through' the lower strap end are disposed edgewise relative to the direction of the pull exerted on the-.strap making it necessary/to shear off these clinchin'g portions before the two ends of the strap can be pulled apart.

.In Fig. SI have shown two overlapping strap ends which are secured `together 'by punching portions of the metal of one through the other in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described'except that the punches are turned quarter way round so that the metal which is punched through will be rolled lengthwise ofthe strap instead of crosswise as was shown in the previous figures.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I have showna fragment of a machine in which anvil members 62 are provided below the punches and are adapted to beraised by the lever 42 against the downwardly clinched metal 61 of the straps to flatten said clinched portions tightly against the bottom strap. 'This-makes a neater fas- 'tening-but is not necessary in most classes of Work. In this form of the invention the anvil or clinching members 6 2 are perforated to receive the punches and are rigid with the anvilplate 63 which lies alongside the l die block 35. Gear rack pinion 40 meshes with a gear rackon plate 63 and also with the rack on die block 35 whereby itmay be Arotated. to simultaneouslv move theI die block downwardly and the anvil members 62 upwardly thus first punching through the straps which `rest on the die plate 48 and .7

theny clinching the punched portions. In

- this constructionthe die plate may beof less thickness and the. holes in the same will be large enough for the anvil members 62 to enter therein.

In the operation of my invention on boxes, as apple boxes, the machine is placed on the box 11l at the location where the strap is in one of the gripping dogs and the strap is drawn snugly around the box and the other end secured in the other gripping dog while the tensioning lever 27 is raised and the tensioning member 13- 14 extended rearwardly.

ends of the strap to overlap each other directly under the punch members. While the strap is held under tension the clinching lever 42 is depressed thus forcing the punch members through the overlapped strap. ends and securing saidk overlapping end s together. The grip members are then released and the strap which is securedV around the box slips out of the side of the machine as the machine is moved away.

The machine yis simple and cheap in con-` struction rapid and eicient in operation, obviatesthe use of clips or other separate securing devices, and forms a strong neat and compact clinch between the two strap ends.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferredembodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure isnerely illustrative and that such" changes in the device may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a strap tightening and'clinching machine, a framey including a base, means on Ito be applied; one end of the strap is secured said framefor gripping a metal strap which y extends around `a. package and' drawing the two ends of said strap togethery in overlapping relation, a die plate whereon said two overlapping ends may rest, said die plate having openings therein, a stripper plate above the overlapping ends of said strap, said stripper plate havingholes therein, a

die block guided for movement above saidV stripper plate, punch members in said die block in alignment with the holes in said stripper plate and said die plate, means for moving said dieblock to force said punch members through' said overlapped strap ends and carry integral clinching portions of one strap end through openings in the other strap end, anvil members for clinching said clinchlco ing portions and means for moving said anvil members. 2. A machine for tightening and fastening a metal strap around a package embodying a base, a tensioning member slidable lengthwise on said lase, arigid arm on said tensioning member and extending sidewise therefrom, a strap gripping device mounted on said arm, an upper framev secured to said base and recessed to fit over said tensioning member and cooperating with said base to form a guide for said tensioning member, lugs on said tensioning member, said upper frame being slotted to aiiord clearance for said lugs, 5 lug means on said upperF frame, a, lever pivoted lat one end to the lugs on said tensioningmember, links pivoted at one end to said lug means and at the other; end to said lever and cooperating with the forward end of said leverto form to gle devices for moving said tensioning member, die block guide means formed in said upper frame at the side of said tensioning member, said die block guide affordin a passageway near its base through which: t e ends. of ametal strap may lie in overlapped relation, a die member in said guide, another lever for moving said die member to punch portions of said strap member through each other and secure said strap ends together solely by= said punched portions, and another strap gripping device rigid with said upper frame and said base. 3.' A machine for tightening and fastening a metal strap around a package comprising a frame, "a strap gripping device carried by said frame, a tensioning member slidably mounted on said frame, another strap gripping device carried by said tensioning member, a pair of links pivotally connected to 40 said frame and said tensioning member and having a pivotal connection witheach other, a lever arm having a` rigid connection with one of said links whereby movement of/said -lever .operates said links to eiiect relative movement of said tensioning member and said frame to draw taut a strap held by said ripping devices, and a punch carried by said rame for perforating overlapping portions ,of said strap and forming a connection therebetween.

' 4. A machine for -tightening and fastening a'metal strap-around a package, embodying a i frame,`a strap gripping device rigidly connected with said frame, a tensioning member slidable' lengthwise within said frame, an-

other strap gripping-device mounted on said tensioning member, a lever pivoted at one end to said tensioning member, link means havlng one end pivotally connected with said lever and the' other end pivot-ally connected with said frame, said link means and the forward end of said lever cooperating to form toggle.

devices whereby said tensioning member is moved, a die block guided f or vertical movement at the side of said tenslonlng member, a

die platebelow said die blo'ck`whereon the overlapped ends of a tensioned strap may rest, a stripper member between said die block and said die plate, said stripper member having openings therein, and means for moving said die block vertically.

5. A machine for tightening and fastening a metal strap around a package, embodying a base, a tensioning member slidable lengthwise of said base, a strap gripping device mounted on said tensioning member, an upper frame secured to said base and recessed to fit over said tensioning member and cooperating with said base to guide said tensioning member, another strap gripping device mounted on said upper frame, lugs on said tensioning member, said upper frame being slotted to afford clearance for said lugs, relatively fixed lug means on said upper frame, a lever pivoted at one end to the lugs on said tensioning member, links pivoted at one end to said fixed a frame, a member movably mounted on said frame, gripping devices carried by said frame and said member for holding opposite ends of a st rap looped around a package with the ends of said strap overlapping, #means for ecting relativemovement of said member and said frame for drawing said strap taut, a punch movably mounted in said frame transversely to said strap, means for operating said punch to perforate said overlapping strap ends and form a joint therebetween by Vprojecting parts of one strap end through the perforation in the other strap end, and an anvil movably mounted on said frame for engaging and clinching the projecting parts of said strap ends.

- 7. A machine for tightening and fastening a metal strap around a package comprising al ing said punch to perforate said overlapping strap ends and form a joint therebetween by projecting partsof one strap end thro'ugh the perforation in theother strap end, an anvil movably mounted on said frame for engaging a metal strap around a package comprising 

